When Every Little Thing Matters
by ShadowAssassin41
Summary: A collection of stories; from Javik and Shepard having a casual conversation in the women's bathroom to seeing how much Jack cares for her students to memories of Shepard's life on Earth as an orphan and so many more to come. Mentions of Shakarian.
1. Um, This Is The Women's Bathroom

**So, my very first Mass Effect story. I apologize ahead of time for any OOCness in these characters because I'm not quite sure how to write them. Please forgive me, and if you could, give me some feedback and let me know if I'm capturing these characters personalities or not. **

**Now for some basic information on my Shepard:**

**Audrey Shepard. Earthborn. Sole Survivor. Soldier. Paragade.**

**Romanced Garrus and likes all her crewmembers. **

**There will be AU moments, so please excuse the differences! **

**And enjoy!**

* * *

_Prompt taken from dialogue between Shepard and EDI in ME3:_

_Shepard: How's our newest crewmember adjusting to the ship, EDI?_

_EDI: He appears not to understand the human custom of separate-sex restroom facilities. I am attempting to enlighten him. I will update you if there is positive progress._

_Shepard: Uh...how about you just update me if he doesn't get the message?_

_EDI: Very well._

* * *

**Um...This Is The Women's Bathroom**

**...\~/...**

Garrus had been after her about shirking her duties so she could play the addictive game, Galaxy of Fantasy, which she found out could be played through her GamerPad now rather than just on a terminal. She was a level two hundred and sixty-seven krogan warrior who kicked butt and took names, and unfortunately her turian friend didn't seem to understand her need to play excessively. And there was only one place on the _Normandy _Shepard was safe: the women's bathroom. With the occasional female worker coming in to do their business and sometimes asking Shepard why they could hear the sound of slashing and screaming in her stall, Shepard was pretty much left alone to do what she did best.

Shepard gave a groan of despair as she watched her krogan warrior die before her...again. Damn drell mages, always getting in the way. So engrossed in her game, she didn't hear the bathroom door hiss open and one of the stall door's shut and lock. Come on, come on, come on, krogan warrior! You can do it! You can kill all those drell mages! Wait... A yagh Ultralord? No! Way! Immediately after encountering the yagh in her game, her warrior died. Shepard hung her head in shame. She sucked at this game...

And then something stopped her and caused her to look up.

A sigh of relief from the person in the other stall. A _man's _sigh of relief.

And judging from the way it sounded, it could only be one person.

Shepard turned her head slowly to the left, eyes narrowed. "Javik?"

"Yes, Commander?" His voice was as usual, low and accented with no signs of sheepishness despite the fact that Shepard had caught him in the women's bathroom.

"Um...this is the women's bathroom," she stated simply.

"I am aware of that, Commander."

"Then why are you in here?"

"I prefer it to the men's."

"Why?"

"The aroma in the men's lavatory is foul."

Shepard paused, considering his answer, and shrugged. "Okay." And went back to her game.

EDI had mentioned Javik's confusion of separate-sex bathrooms and it seemed he had yet to grasp the concept. Shepard had to wonder what Prothean bathrooms were like and if they didn't have separate ones for different genders. Actually, what _did _a female Prothean look like? Shepard pondered over that for a moment, but quickly pushed the thought to the back of her mind when she heard the clashing of swords and battle cries coming from her GamerPad.

"What is it you are doing?" Javik asks, his voice echoing throughout the bathroom.

By this time, Shepard was biting her tongue in concentration. "Killing the evil Yagh Ultralord, and...I'm... Got it! And now I'm going inside the Crystal Caverns of Corgin and...dying of flying arrows. _While_ being burned alive from those _stupid_, _idiotic _fire shoot things. Ugh, I am _so _done!"

"Are you playing with that contraption again?"

"If by contraption you mean GamerPad, then yes, I am. And don't tell Garrus. He'll scold me, take it away, and...I'll die."

"You'll die if you are unable to play on your...what was it, GamerPad?"

"Yes. From withdrawal."

"I was unaware that it could be so addictive. In my cycle, Protheans never had the time to waste time on things so trivial."

"In your cycle, it sounded like Protheans never had fun."

"You are mistaken, Commander."

"Oh really? Please enlighten me."

"We found pleasure in hunting the primitives for food. A favorite of my people was fried hanar."

Shepard was quiet for a moment, watching as her krogan warrior used his crossbow to bring down a running pyjak. Then, she asked absentmindedly, "Is fried hanar good? I always wondered if it tasted like calamari, and I _love _calamari."

"As I said, it was a favorite."

"Mmm. After this war, if there's a shortage on squid..."

"What is squid?"

"Deliciousness, but only when fried." Another pause. "Did you ever eat turian? Asari? Salarian?"

"I did. Turians were very difficult to eat because of the plating and were gristly, and it tended to be very bitter. Asari have a rich taste, almost too rich. Salarian...they were perfect."

"Perfect, huh?"

"Not too rich, not too bitter, and their livers... Too bad that salarian is gone. He would have made a fine meal."

"No offense, Javik, but I probably would've attacked you if you went after Mordin with the intent to _eat _him."

"And I would have fought for my meal."

If someone were to walk in on them right now, that someone would be ultimately confused on why Shepard and Javik were having the most casual conversation, especially since _Javik _was in the wrong bathroom. In all honesty, Shepard wasn't in the least bit bothered that the Prothean was here. It was rare that he would talk with her about things other than the war, the Reapers, or how his people used to treat other species, and she actually liked it. She knew the alien had some sort of a sense of humor underneath that cold, distant exterior, and she wanted nothing more than to make him laugh or at least _smile_. And for some reason, she wanted him to ask questions about her people. So many were always questioning him about the Protheans that she wondered if he was curious about what other species were like.

"Commander, I have heard you were born in a mirage."

"Oh, ah, no. I lived in Las Vegas growing up. You know, the Entertainment Capitol of the Galaxy?"

"Then why is it called a mirage?"

"Vegas is surrounded by nothing but desert, the Mojave desert. When the city was first forming, travelers would see nothing _but_ desert and then suddenly come up to Vegas. They thought it was some kind of mirage and people started referring it as the 'Mirage of the Mojave'. It's not really called that anymore."

"Are you a proud citizen of this Las Vegas?"

"Yes. And if I live to see the aftermath of this war, Vegas is going to be the first place I go to." She sighed happily. "I can't wait, either. It's been a long time since I've been there."

After a pause in their conversation, Javik said the most unexpected thing. "I would like to visit this Las Vegas of yours."

"Ah, ha!" Shepard gave a chuckle, shaking her head. "I don't mean to be rude, but I don't see you walking through a place like Vegas. It's... Did you like the Silversun Strip?"

"Not particularly. I thought it was too flamboyant and crowded. If the Reapers were to attack, there would have been no escape routes."

"Well, Vegas does have a lot of exits, but when it comes to lights and stuff, it's ten times worse than Silversun."

"You must have felt at home on Silversun, then."

"Well...no, actually." Shepard gave another sigh. "The lights on Silversun were too...I don't know, dark? They seemed to blur together, and to be honest, made me a little sad." By this time, she had saved her game and had turned off her GamerPad, flipping it in her hands so she could keep herself busy. "It felt like some kind of knock-off of my real home and when I stood there and looked up at those lights, it was _nothing _like Vegas." Her hands tightened around her device. "And it made me mad, seeing all those people. I understand the importance of shore leave, and my crew deserves to go out and have fun, relax. They _deserve _the break, but all those other people, they act like nothing else is going on, like the war isn't really happening and it just _pisses _me off. What did _they _do to deserve that break?"

Javik hummed in agreement. "I can understand. I was...perturbed at how nonchalant the primitives were acting on the Presidium."

"Don't worry; it can perturb _anybody_."

She was enjoying this conversation with him, she really was. She liked how he asked her Las Vegas, the topic being one of the few she loved talking about. Shepard imagined him walking along the streets of The Strip, _her _streets, and he had a neutral look on his face, the same expression he used for everything else. He was hard to read, and Shepard never could tell what he was thinking, but she appreciated his need to express whatever he was thinking with words. Even if that little trait of his bothered everyone else. In a way, Javik was the one that kept in her grounded. Every time she heard someone say they might win this war, that if a Reaper could easily be taken down by a Thresher Maw, then how hard could it be for organics to take one down? True, it felt good hearing people have hope, but Javik was always there to remind her that there could be a chance they wouldn't win this war, that Reapers were dangerous and ruthless and didn't discriminate. Hearing Javik speak his pessimistic views, it only fueled her desire to prove him wrong.

"Javik, I just want to say I'm sorry," Shepard said quietly.

"What is the need for your apology?"

Shepard replied, "You were born during a war, left that war in a _stasis pod_, and woke up to another one. What you called home has changed and you're now surrounded by what were once primitives are now the leading species of the galaxy. You've never had the chance to stand up and just breathe. You've experienced nothing but war and the Reapers. I... You're important to be now, Javik. You've become a friend, a comrade, and somewhat of a confidant. I trust you to watch my six, and I promise to watch yours. I...promise to destroy the Reapers and give you that chance to breathe."

There was a silence between them, a comfortable quietness that allowed them to listen to the hums of the _Normandy's _machines, a pair of crewmen laughing outside on their way to the crew quarters, and the hissing of the bathroom door. Both Shepard and Javik heard a woman curse softly at the sight of both stalls being occupied and mumble to herself that she really didn't need to go in the first place.

Once the bathroom door closed, Shepard heard Javik give his answer. "Thank you, Commander. And I hope to return you to your city, in return."

"Thanks." Shepard shifted on the back of the toilet, her boots sitting on the toilet seat. "Okay, so what exactly are you doing over there? Are you sittin' on the toilet doin' your business? Are you just standin' over there, leanin' up against the stall wall? What?"

"I am standing here, listening to you."

"Gotcha," Shepard said, drawing out the vowels. "So..." Ugh, she made it awkward after their bonding moment. "How about this weather?"

"We are on a ship, Commander. There _is _no weather."

"I know. It's just kind of my go-to question to diffuse awkwardness."

Shepard heard the lock on his stall door click, the groan of the hinges filling the bathroom with sound. She stepped off the toilet, exiting her own stall. Javik stood at the sinks, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His four, yellow eyes were narrowed, his lips set in a deep frown. As always, he was unreadable, emotionless. Shepard flicked her eyes in the direction of the door, hoping no one would walk in. She could name a few women who would not be pleased with a male alien being in the women's lavatory (i.e. Ashley...). Shepard inched towards the door, the hissing sound filling her ears, and she checked the halls for women. Before she could turn towards Javik, the Prothean rushed past her.

"Farewell, Commander," he said quickly before entering the elevator.

"Bye! Nice talking to you! We'll have to- And he's gone."

"Shepard," a voice said behind her. "Was that...Javik that just came out of the women's bathroom?"

Whipping around, she spotted Ashley standing in the doorway of the Starboard Observation Deck. Shepard waved her hand at Ashley dismissively. "Nah, that was a different Prothean."

"Shepard... There _are _no other Protheans."

"Oh. Well... How about this weather?"


	2. Fu- Forget Them!

**I just thought it would be interesting to write about Jack and her students. I really like how mature and responsible she became because of them. Also, I'm sorry if Jack seems OOC in this, but I feel like she probably did grow to appreciate the Normandy team and might have missed them during the six months she was away teaching. So, again, I apologize for any OOC-ness!**

* * *

**Fu-! Forget Them!**

**...\~/...**

Why did she accept this? She'd never been to school, so she had no idea how kids worked or how a teacher taught. She lacked the patience to teach; hell, everything had the ability to piss her off in one way or another. She was a rebel, a criminal, a deviant, so why in the hell did the Alliance want _her_? They said they needed someone who wasn't afraid to point out the mistakes, that they needed someone who was extremely skilled in biotics and since she was the renowned Subject Zero, she was ideal. Plus, she was told the kids reacted better to teachers who had a unique teaching style, and got bored and unfocused when it came to lectures and seminars. Yeah, she could understand that. She couldn't remember how many times she'd almost fallen asleep when the salarian doctor opened his damned mouth to speak.

And what the hell was up with the rules? No language, more clothing, and absolutely no contact with Shepard. Sanders had said the kids liked teachers who cursed, but that was only with simple words, like 'damn' and 'hell'. According to Sanders, her mouth was terrible, and she needed to watch it or else there'd be a swear jar. And she guessed pants and nothing covering her chest wasn't appropriate enough attire. She rotated her shoulder, trying to get used to the feeling of her new leather jacket. Needing to look kick-ass was still a necessity, and the damned Alliance was going to have to deal.

But that last rule... No contact with Shepard? Okay, so what if she blew up a mass relay and cost millions of batarian lives? She _did _the right thing! If it weren't for her decision, the Reapers would've been here already and she wouldn't have signed up to teach a bunch of kids. And she was being punished for it, even after two well-known Admirals defended her actions. Shepard, though...that goddamned goodie-two-shoes embraced home arrest with that same casual manner, owning up to the murder of all those batarians without hesitation. Shepard and her damned honor... Fuck her! What if she needed advice on how to lead these kids? Yeah, Sanders offered to help her, but Sanders...she wasn't Shepard, the same woman who shared a smoke with her down in the dark underbelly of the _Normandy_, just talking shit out and quoting all her lame-ass movies.

The door opened and Sanders stood there, both hands behind her back. She was too clean looking, no grit, with that perfect hair of hers and that perfectly pressed uniform. She was the exact opposite and that made her uneasy.

"Jack, are you ready to meet your students?" Sanders asked.

With a heavy sigh, eyes closed, Jack nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. Show me the little fuckers."

"Jack..." There was a warning in that voice of Sanders.

"Don't worry, teach, I'll shut up when I'm around them."

"Good. Now follow me."

* * *

They were exactly what she was expecting. They all looked like a bunch of weak, fragile teenagers who had never been out in the real world, who had never been scarred from battle. The girls were petite, barely any muscle, and they looked too nice and too pampered. Their hair was styled in just the right way and she spotted some with fingernail polish on, even though it was against the dress code. She'd know, too. Sanders had her read it five different times so that it would be ingrained into her brain. Jack noticed how two girls cupped their hands over their mouths and whispered, eyes glued to her, judging her. Fuck them, she was used to it. She'd been called every name in the book. And the guys...ha! She could feel their eyes on her exposed midriff and all the other skin she was showing. Typical. She could practically see the heat rising in them as their faces turned bright red.

Sanders cleared her throat. The students snapping back to attention, hands behind their backs and heads held high. The boys puffed out their chests a bit more as Jack walked past each, her eyes roving over them, sizing them up.

"Students, this will be your new teacher, Miss-"

"Jack." She glanced over at Sanders, whose lips were pressed together tight. "Just Jack. No Miss, Mrs., Ms., nothin' like that. Just...Jack. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!" the students chorused.

Ma'am? Never mind, ma'am would do just fine.

"She'll be teaching you the basics and maybe the more complex maneuvers depending on your progress," Sanders informed. That earned several groans. Jack shifted her weight to her right side, wondering if Sanders was going to call them out about that, but she remained calm. Jack almost laughed; Shepard would've mocked them and then proceeded to reprimand them.

One student raised her hand, Sanders nodding at her as a sign of permission. "Um...ma'am-"

"State your name to your new instructor."

"Oh, it's Ensign Ella Rodriguez, ma'am." Her words were directed towards Jack, and they had a slight quaver to them. "I just wanted to point out that we've been doing nothing but endurance training since the beginning of this semester. We'd like to try something else, ma'am, i-if we can."

"Well, how long can you hold up a barrier?" Jack questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"Um...two minutes, three?"

"Three minutes?" Jack barked out a laugh, unaware of the hurt look Rodriguez possessed. "Girly, I hate to tell ya, but that's _nothin' _to what I had to do in that Collector Base." She pointed at all of them, pacing now, looking into each of their eyes. "Just imagine having to protect a squad of three plus yourself against swarms of bugs that can paralyze you. Imagine not being able to defend yourself, having to concentrate on keeping your barriers up or else you'll fail the team." She stopped in front of a particular boy, who had a smirk on his lips and his eyes on her chest the entire time. Jack grabbed him by the collar, pulling him down so their eyes could meet. "Are you listening to me or are you just going to stare at my tits the whole time?" she yelled at him.

"Jack!" Sanders hissed, walking up to the woman to grab her shoulder, but Jack released him before she could reach her and continued her speech.

"Imagine yourselves in that situation. That barrier is the only thing keeping you alive, keeping you from death. Imagine having to keep that up for _twenty minutes_ and struggling because you're getting weaker and weaker, but you see how hard your teammates are fighting and you can't let them down. Just...imagine." She smirked when she saw the awed looks of her new students. Even Rodriguez's eyes had grown a little wider. That was exactly the kind of reaction she wanted. These kids had no idea what kind of danger was out there, too sheltered. Maybe that was why the Alliance tracked her down? They needed a strong biotic that had seen it all, and she was the only one that fit the bill.

"Now, tell me again how you want to do something else. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be able to hold up those barriers for twenty minutes just like I did."

Silence.

Jack pointed at a girl in the front row. "Are you ready?" she yelled.

"Uh, y-yes, ma'am!"

"I asked, are you ready?" She wanted that quivering in her voice gone. Jack wanted no hesitation.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Another student was pointed at, this time a young man. "Are you?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

This time, she spread her arms out, gesturing towards the whole class. "Can I get a 'yes, ma'am'?"

"Yes, ma'am!" they shouted together.

Jack stole a glance toward Sanders, who had already been gazing at their newest instructor. There was something familiar in the woman's expression, something...Shepard-ish. The way Sander's lips were lifted in one corner, the way her eyes narrowed and her eyebrows crinkled together - it was most definitely very similar to Shepard's usual smile. And that look meant Sanders was impressed and maybe changing her mind about the newest instructor.

Hn, maybe she'd like it here after all.

* * *

Jack sat on her new bed, flipping through the student files she'd been given. Rodriguez, as she guessed before, had weak endurance, but then again the previous teacher had tried to push them too much and didn't allow them breaks. Didn't these adults know that these biotics are still kids and not full-grown adults yet? Jack turned to the next page. Reilly Bellarmine didn't know when to use Singularity, Warp, or Shockwave. Jason Prangley, he had good stats, but one of the previous teachers thought it was important to take note on Prangley's inability to concentrate on one thing at a time, instead trying to multi-task. That'd get him killed out in the real world.

"Need a smoke?" someone asked.

Without looking up, Jack accepted and took the offered cigarette, and said, "Thanks, Shep, I needed- Whoa!" Jack stood up when she realized it was Sanders, not Shepard, and she frowned. "Damn, I'm sorry. I'm just...aw, shit."

Sanders gave a small laugh. "Shepard smokes?"

"Only when she's stressed, which was pretty much the whole time during the Collectors mission." Jack sat back down, pushing files out of the way so Sanders could sit down.

The blonde woman - huh, she had _actual _blonde hair - switched a lighter on, holding it under the cigarette being balanced between Jack's lips. The tattooed woman took a drag, slowly letting the smoke escape from her lips and nostrils, taking another puff soon after. Usually, Sanders would confiscate cigarettes from the students who would somehow get their hands on some, but Jack looked tired and in need of one. Maybe she could also try and wean her off of cigarettes?

"I have to say, Jack: what you said out there was really impressive."

Jack gave a sheepish laugh. "Yeah, well, you can blame that one on Shepard. Her pep talks taught me a few things."

Sanders gave a smile. "I think you're going to fit right in. Those kids...they need someone like you teaching them. Someone who knows how to be a true biotic, someone who can open their eyes even more. I really care about the students at this school, and I want the best for them. And right now, you're the best."

"Aw, gee, thanks. Anymore gag-worthy confessions you want to say to me?" Jack asked, smoke leaking out of her mouth as she talked.

Sanders shook her head, clapping Jack on the shoulder as she stood up. "No, I just wanted to give you that pack. I'll leave you to it."

Before she could go, Jack called out to her. The older woman looked over her shoulder, arching an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Why can't I talk to Shepard? Why are they so tight about the security?" By this time, Jack was standing, her cigarette between her fingers. It reminded her of all those times with the Commander, all those times that actually meant something and never felt so...fake. "What if I need her help on something?"

"Jack, Shepard's under house arrest for a reason. She killed millions of batarians. Yes, she did it for a reason, a _good _reason in my opinion, but the consequences of that mission would've been serious no matter what." Confusion set into Sanders' face. "And why would you need her help?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know. She just... Shep has this way of making everything sound genuine and that everything's going to be okay. I've never known a person to do that before."

"Well, if you ever need to talk, I'm here. I may not be Shepard, but I know my stuff."

Before she could leave, Jack called out again, causing the woman to stop a second time.

"Uh...thanks, Sanders." And that was it.

* * *

As months progressed, the students were no longer just kids. They were _her _kids. Sanders and the other instructors seemed impressed at how much her students had improved in endurance, strength, and concentration. And Jack couldn't help but smirk every time she heard the adults talking about her kids' achievements in the past few months. She was surprised at how capable she was at teaching. Her students had loosened up in just a couple weeks of meeting her, joking with her and not constantly trying to remain uptight, something their last instructor wanted them to be.

But what really got to her was how much these students needed someone to rely on. Here they were, light-years away from home, and they had no parents to lean back on or siblings to run to in their time of need. These students relied on one another in order to get through the stress, and now that they had a teacher that cared, they were coming to her more and more. Rodriguez had come to her crying, Jack having no idea on how to handle the situation, so she just let the girl come in and curl up in her armchair. Rodriguez's parents were in the middle of a divorce, Jack found out, and she had just gotten a call from her younger sister that the fighting was bad and wanted Rodriguez to come home. Sean Bellarmine wasn't even one of her students, but after hearing her brother talk about Jack with such high praise, she needed someone to talk to, someone that would actually listen to her rather than the counselor the academy had. Then, Jack was beginning to get male visitors, and that got a couple other teachers talking.

_"Should we be worried? She's a criminal, a deviant. Do you think she's sleeping with the students?"_

_"I just don't know. Have you seen how she talks to her students? I wouldn't be surprised if she's pressuring them into doing sexual favors for her."_

_"Should we alert Sanders?"_

_"Maybe."_

And those bitches did. After Prangley came into her room, needing advice on how to ask a girl out for prom, Sanders had come in to warn Jack about the complaints some of the other teachers were sending in. That forced a rise out of her, Jack demanding to know where those teachers were so she could rip them to shreds. How dare they think she was having sex with her students! Her _male _students! Her body had oozed blue, biotic flames whipping around her. When Sanders told her some of things the instructors had been worried about, the first thing that had run through Jack's mind was her time on Pragia, where this one man had taken advantage of her due to his fetish for younger girls. That was the day she lost her virginity...and he ruined her.

_"Jack, I know you're not having sex with your students. Just...be careful, okay?"_

_"Why should I be careful? Can't those fuc- I mean, can't those idiots stop being so judgmental? What? Are they jealous their students don't like them?"_

_"I'll tell them to back off. In the meantime, instead of having male students come into your room, take them down to the cafeteria."_

So that was her meeting place with her students, _all _of her students. Reilly Bellarmine had asked if they could meet and there Jack had learned that his sister was getting bullied and the counselor seemed to think _talking __it out _was going to fix everything. Jack told him to go beat the shit out of them, and when Reilly came back with a black eye and a beaming grin, she knew whoever was picking on his sister wasn't going to anymore. Of course, Sanders had reprimanded her for encouraging violence between students, but Jack didn't care. Sometimes, violence was necessary.

Jack's thoughts were interrupted when Octavia was knocked back into a wall by another student's Throw. The girl was trembling badly, curling herself into a ball. Jack approached her, and without thinking, she said, "C'mon, Octavia, it couldn't have hurt _that bad_. Keep your barriers in check and don't be a puss."

Octavia didn't respond.

"Hey, I think she's crying," one of the students whispered behind Jack.

Jack sunk to her knees beside Octavia, grabbing the girl's arms to pry them away from her face. When she successfully managed to reveal her student's face, Jack's gut churned. In front of her, Octavia's pretty face had tears trailing down her cheeks, snot running out of her nose, eyes puffy and red-rimmed. One of her classmates gasped and fell beside her, wrapping an arm around Octavia's shoulders to comfort her.

"What's wrong?" the student asked the crying girl.

"W-well, I-I got some bad news l-last night," Octavia said, her voice thick. "My...papaw died last night. Heart attack. I asked for some leave, but the school won't grant me it."

"Why won't they let you? All students get a week of leave for emergencies," another student said.

"They said that since midterm exams are in a few days, that'd it'd be a mistake to leave. I told them that I'd take them early, but they still wouldn't. That means I'll miss my papaw's funeral." By now, Octavia had wiped away the tears, sniffling occasionally. "He lived with my family and was so proud when I got into Grissom. He was the only one that ever made me feel proud to be a biotic, so when I heard about him passing away, I just..." A tear rolled down her cheek and she swiped it away. "My parents even contacted them, but they wouldn't budge."

"Wow. They even denied the parents..."

Jack stood up, turning on her heel, and stormed out of the practice room, ignoring the calls of her students.

**...\~/...**

"What is this about Octavia not being able to go to her grandpa's funeral?" Jack demanded, slamming her palms on Sanders desk. The blonde woman didn't even jump, just continued to type on her terminal. Jack pounded her fist against the wood, wanting Sanders attention, but her boss continued to ignore her and finish her work. Finally, Jack raised a glowing, blue fist, and almost brought it down when Sanders turned to her, holding out a hand to stop her.

"Midterms are in a few days, Jack. We want to insure that our students achieve the best in their academics. Leaving now would be a mistake."

"Going to her grandpa's funeral would be a mistake? He was the only one that didn't make her feel bad about being a biotic! Let her go!"

"Jack, it isn't my decision. It's the head's."

The biotic leaned over the desk, her face an inch from Sanders', hot breath fanning over the blonde's nose. "Tell him if he doesn't let her go, I will destroy him."

"That wouldn't be-"

"Tell him, _blondie_."

In the end, Octavia was granted leave _and _managed to get good marks in her classes.

* * *

_Dear Miss Jack,_

_If you ever have a head instructor approach me with a threatening message again, I will have you fired and escorted off academy property._

_Sincerely, _

_Mr. Oliver Stantonfield_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Mr. Stantonfield,_

_Fuck you._

_Sincerely, _

_Jack_

* * *

Four months she'd been here, bonding with her kids and learning what it was to be a responsible adult. The paper tests she had to give were a pain to grade, but they gave her good insight on what her students weren't understanding and what they weren't. The awesome thing about her teaching was that she didn't have a lesson plan; she taught depending on her kids' scores, and it had made them better biotics in the end.

Now, as Jack lay on her bed, resting after a long day of endurance exercises and grading papers, she finally had time to sort through her own thoughts. She was beginning to miss the _Normandy_, her dark, dingy quarters in Engineering, and the people she had grown close to. She missed the vibrations Grunt's steps would make, the way Tali would curse in quarian whenever she worked on her drones, or how Zaeed would sometimes come down and play cards with her. She missed Jacob's normalcy and Mordin's ever-boring talks about science and the occasional STG story, even if he _did _leave a lot of classified details out. Jack missed the way Garrus would check over her weapons and compliment her on her mods, the way Samara would walk in with such elegance that it got everyone to stumble over their words, the way Thane would eat in silence, but how everyone felt a little bit safer when he was around. She missed how Kasumi would always wave to her, even if Jack wouldn't return it, and she missed how Legion would appear around meal-time, even if he couldn't eat, and sit there in silence, the flaps around his flashlight head moving as if he were _happy _to be around everyone. Joker's smart-ass comments and EDI's little quips every now and again, those two were always there, just a comm-call away. Hell, she even missed the Cerberus cheerleader, but only because she enjoyed watching the bitch seethe.

But most of all, she missed Shepard. That laid-back, good-humored personality of hers was a change compared to the company Jack spent with past people. The idiot was more proud with her ability to quote ten different movies word to word than her saving the Citadel and the Council from Sovereign and Saren. Shepard had the ability to get people to believe in themselves, that they had good in them, that they _mattered_, and if not to the galaxy than to her. She had a way with words that Jack never knew anyone else to have. But it was easy to forget that this was _Commander Shepard_, N7, Savior of the Citadel and Council, a deadly soldier who had the ability to use any weapon in the galaxy. She preferred close-combat, using blades rather than guns, even if she did get scolded by her closer teammates later. She was quick on her feet and had a keen mind, and she was merciless towards those she thought to be dangerous or morally wrong. She was a survivor and a former gangster, having been involved in some shady business, just like Jack had.

Shepard was...her first friend. The first one that cared.

Jack's Omni-tool pinged, an orange orb swirling on her tool. She opened it with a yawn and said, "What's up?"

"Excuse me, did I get the wrong Omni-tool because the Jack _I _know has no hair."

"Wait... Shepard?" Jack sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "How did you-? I thought you weren't able to have contact with anyone?"

"Well, technically I'm not supposed to, but some rules are meant to be broken, even if I would get a harsh scolding if they caught me." Shepard leaned towards the screen. "I have at best two or three minutes. Just wanted to check in with you and your new job and the kids."

Jack was silent for a second. "You sneaky bitch. You were the one that got me this job!"

"I didn't _actually _get you the job, but I may have put in a good word. I needed to make sure everyone had somewhere to go after I left. As a favor from Hackett, I asked if there was a place that needed a psychotic biotic and I guess Grissom was in need of one." Shepard smiled, that same smile she always had, one corner of her quirking upward. "You have hair, Jack."

"Yeah, I do. I guess working with these kids made me forget to shave it off, but I actually like it. The kids say it makes me look bad-ass."

"Not that you did before?" They shared a short laugh, but cut it off quick since they were on a time limit. "Have you heard from anyone else? Do you know if everyone is okay?"

"No, I haven't," Jack replied. "I want to, but I get distracted. You have to remember that we all have busy lives, Shep, while you get to relax on home arrest."

Shepard gave a nervous, little laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. "Ha, yeah. Well, it hasn't exactly been easy over here. When you have people watching your every move and judging you, things get a bit complicated. That's why it took me forever to figure this whole call out. I needed time and planning." Jack watched Shepard's head whip to the left, her body stiff and alert. Shepard turned back to the screen. "Look, Jack, I have to go. You look good, though, with the hair and all. And in case you do hear from anyone, tell them I'm thinking about them and I miss them."

Jack nodded once. "Wish you were here to see this, Shep."

"Yeah, it'd be a sight to see." And right when she was going to say something else, Jack could hear the Commander's name being shouted, and the screen went blank.

* * *

Six and half months had gone by and Jack found herself face to face with Cerberus once again. Grissom Academy was in a state of panic, her kids scattered around the school and others shivering from fear. Her kids were her number one priority and just the thought of letting them see her in action was exciting. She wanted to show them exactly how she wanted them to be, how they could be if they really tried. In the firefight, Rodriguez was struggling with her barriers, her strength winding down fast. Jack ordered another girl to help with the barriers just as another wave of Cerberus troopers came storming in through the doors. Prangley and Nigel Lawrence were sending Singularity and Warps at another group's direction, checking their barriers as often as they could.

That's when an Atlas came in play, tremors shooting through the floor with each step it took. Jack was ready, though, her body coursing with blue energy as she rolled her hands into fists. She was prepared.

Then, the canopy of the Atlas shattered, exposing the soldier inside. She didn't do that and she knew for a fact her students didn't either, so...who? Jack looked to the side and saw a turian crouching behind one of the couches, reloading his sniper rifle. Garrus? Jack looked farther over, seeing an alien she'd never seen before, but looked awfully similar to the Collectors. Wait... Was that a...Prothean? If Garrus was here, that meant...

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a knife whiz by her head, the blade sticking straight between the Atlas operator's eyes. The soldier slumped over, falling out of the canopy and onto the floor, and the Atlas blew up before her after Garrus landed another shot straight into the core of the machine. The other Cerberus soldiers were made quick work of, and she and her students were finally allowed to breathe. After ordering them to eat and get something to drink, Jack dropped down to the ground floor, and she froze when she saw the one person she thought she'd never see again.

Shepard...

The woman had her foot pressed against the skull of the Atlas operator, dislodging her knife, and wiped the blood off her blade. She sheathed it, turned, and when her eyes rested on Jack, she did that damn smile of hers again.

"Jack, long time no see! How've you-" She was silenced with a punch to jaw.

"Damn it, how many times did I tell you not to trust Cerberus?" Jack said, looking Shepard straight in the eye.

"I didn't, remember? I _never _trusted Cerberus," Shepard answered, never once rubbing her jaw. Jack wondered if it even hurt.

Suddenly, the Collector looking thing approached them, and in an accented voice, he said, "Anger. Good. We can use that."

"What the hell are you?" Jack spat, leaning back to examine the thing.

"Fifty-thousand years older than you," the alien shot back.

"No shit," Jack said. "Shepard does find the weird ones." But with a shake of her head, Jack added, "Okay, right now, all I care about is getting my guys out of here."

All Shepard did was crack a smile and Jack suddenly had the urge to punch her again.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing, just thinking how the teaching life suits you, that's all."

"Don't get all warm an' fuzzy with me, Shepard. We still have to figure out a plan."

"I know. That doesn't mean I can't compliment you or anything."

Behind Shepard, Garrus gave a laugh. "As charming as ever."

"Bite me, Garrus! Better yet, bite her! That's probably how she likes it." With that, Jack shot a devious look in Shepard's direction, smirking.

Jack would have to remember that Shepard possessed a mean right hook.


	3. First Impressions, Part 1

**PLEASE READ THIS: In my mind, Shepard and Garrus met a long time before the events of ME1 occur. Sometime in the future, I want to write a story about it, and I debated about whether or not to make references to it in these stories, but I decided to go with it. I just thought I'd let you all know because this is the first chapter that mentions it. Thanks! And enjoy!**

* * *

**First Impressions, Part 1**

**...\~/...**

**Kaidan: **

Chatter about Anderson's newest XO had been running rampant around the _Normandy_. Shepard, was their name, and all that seemed important about their newest recruit was that they were the only survivor on Akuze. Kaidan had seen the newsfeeds on the attack, knowing that it had been gruesome, gory, and that Shepard refused to be interviewed after they were brought safely back to Earth. People on the _Normandy _had concerns about their new XO, if they were stable enough to take over in case Anderson was killed in action, if they were capable of leading a ship. Kaidan had his doubts, too. Wouldn't an attack like the one on Akuze leave behind some mental scars? He'd seen the wreckage on the vids: bodies ripped in halves, thresher maw acid still burning through the blood-soaked earth, debris from damaged vehicles scattered around the camp. There was _no _way the Commander had come from that mentally stable.

"So, did you hear that we're meeting the Commander today?" Joker asked, never once taking his eyes off his console.

"Yeah, and I'm kind of nervous. He _is _the sole survivor of Akuze," Kaidan responded.

Joker gave a smirk, looking as if he knew something that everyone else didn't. "Yeah. He is."

Minutes went by, and finally they heard footsteps come up from behind them. Kaidan, thinking it was just another crewmember to check on how things were going in the cockpit, didn't turn around until he heard Captain Anderson's voice.

"And this is the cockpit. Over there is Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau, but everyone calls him Joker. Over there is Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. Whenever you go planet-side, Kaidan's one of the two soldiers that will accompany you. He's a fine biotic and I know he'll have your back."

When Kaidan turned, his eyes widened when they rested on the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She had her light brown hair bundled behind her head in a messy bun, bangs sweeping across her forehead and tucked behind her ear. Her eyes were a light brown, so light that when she looked at him, he felt like her mere stare could pierce straight through him. She didn't wear the standard uniform for the Alliance crew, but instead adorned a black button-up, jeans, and combat boots, with a gun belt around her hips, holstering a knife on each side. But her most notable feature was the long jagged scar that started from her right eyebrow and ended just below the left side of her bottom lip.

Without thinking, he scrambled from his seat, and greeted Anderson and the woman with a salute. Anderson saluted him back, ordering Kaidan to go at ease, and gestured towards the woman.

"This is Commander Shepard, the _Normandy's _newest XO. I'm just giving her a tour of the ship."

_This _was Shepard? The sole survivor of Akuze? The center of everyone's gossip for the past week? He had thought _she _was a _he_, and in no way was she a man. No way at all... She looked too nice, too friendly, too soft. Nothing like how a hardened commander should look. He expected someone taller (the woman in front of him was a head shorter than he), someone with a mean scowl and a gruffness that would even send a krogan running, and not in the least bit attractive. And since she was also the survivor of Akuze, he expected someone that looked a little crazier, especially in the eyes, but this woman looked stable, like she hadn't been part of such a tragic event.

"Wow..." Kaidan breathed, stiffening when Shepard stepped forward and stuck out her hand. He took it hesitantly, seeing how small her hand was compared to his, but his was so much softer while hers was covered in scars. "Nice to meet you, Commander."

"Nice to meet you too, Lieutenant," she replied, a lopsided smile on her face.

When their hands dropped, Anderson ushered her out of the cockpit, taking her into the CIC to show her the finished Galaxy Map and whatnot. Kaidan remained standing, tilting his head as he watched her leave, one hand always on a knife. It was like she was waiting for something to happen. Maybe that was a good thing, considering all that she had been through. For some reason, even though he was a capable solider and biotic, he felt a little safer with her on board.

Joker twisted in his seat, frowning when he saw the soft look on the Lieutenant's face.

"Hey, while you're up, grab a towel so you can wipe up the drool. I like my cockpit to be nice and clean, okay?" Joker mocked, causing Kaidan to look over his shoulder at him with a less than amused expression. He turned his attention back to the Commander, who was now standing on the platform overlooking the Galaxy Map with Anderson, that smirk she had before gone and replaced with a stoic face.

Kaidan, despite his instant attraction to her and the future bond that they would share, would have never guessed she would choose someone else's life over his.

* * *

**Ashley: **

The mess on Eden Prime gave her little chance to actually get to know the Commander. But now, on the _Normandy_, with just her thoughts and the weapons before her, she had time to analyze her commanding officer. Shepard was a hardcore solider, just like her, but instead using a shotgun and her knives rather than an assault and sniper rifle. Shepard had the ability to take in her surroundings and know exactly how to use them in order to defeat the enemy, like how she managed to peel off a piece of sheet metal from one of the walls and use it as a riot shield so she could get in close to the geth in order to use her blades. She could analyze a target's weak points and use them against her enemies. Shepard was a deadly soldier, no doubt about it, and having the woman beside her at her workbench in the shuttle bay was both an honor and disconcerting. Ashley wondered if her commanding officer already knew all _her _weak spots.

The Commander stood beside Ashley, sharpening her knives with a stone, the piercing noise of metal against stone beginning to get under Ashley's skin. Not out of annoyance, but from the knowledge Ashley had on how deadly Shepard could be with them. Seeing her in battle with them, Shepard's knives weren't just a weapon, they were like extensions, almost as if the blades were already part of Shepard's arms. She was graceful with them, her movements always fluid and never wasted.

"Something on your mind, Chief?" Shepard asked, pausing to look at Ashley with those piercing eyes.

"Just...noticing how much you take care of your blades, Commander," she answered, not quite sure on what to say.

"Yeah," Shepard said with a hint of laughter, "they're my babies. The first thing I ever stole."

Ashley was taken aback by the woman's words and instantly spat out, "You _stole _them?" She couldn't even begin to wrap her mind around the concept of the Commander stealing.

"Surprised, Chief? Yeah, I stole them. But for a good reason." Sure. A good reason. Ashley wanted to know exactly what that good reason was and fortunately for her, Shepard wasn't shy about telling. "I needed protection. Wits and cleverness can only get you so far before your enemies start to see through your ploys and come after you. I didn't know how to shoot a gun and since I didn't want to make a fool of myself by shooting straight through my foot, I decided on knives."

"Let me guess: you marched right on in and grabbed them before anybody saw you?"

"Mmm, not exactly. I put a little more thought into it." Shepard was done with sharpening and now began on polishing. "The owner always left around eleven at night, so one night, I bumped into him on purpose, and while I sputtered out an apology, I pick-pocketed his keys off of him and kept on going after he forgave me. When he was gone, I simply unlocked his store, went inside, and started shopping."

"Just like that? I'm a bit skeptical, Commander." Her story couldn't possibly end like that. No action, no drama?

"Yep. Exactly like that. The keys allowed me to go in without triggering the alarms, so my theft was smooth and simple. I went to the police station afterward and turned the keys in and said I found them on the ground when I was heading home from work."

Ashley had to admit, the weapons were beautifully crafted. The hilt was made into a four-finger knuckle guard, which would give her an edge in hand-to-hand combat. Also on the hilt was an eye-catching fiery decoration, giving the knife a deadly and beautiful look to it at the same time. The blade itself was jagged and ridged, ten perfectly drilled holes in the blade, perfect for air dynamics. Added with the fact that Shepard knew how to use them, those two blades had the potential to be deadlier than any firearm Ashley had ever seen. It was no wonder Shepard was never seen without them.

"I'd hate to be your enemy, Commander, especially if you have those things with you."

"Likewise, Chief. I've seen you with that assault rifle. I'd never want to be on the end of it."

The two women turned their heads to look at each other, both looking each other up and down before locking eyes. This woman, her commanding officer, had the potential to be her best ally or her deadliest enemy depending on how she acted towards her. Ashley chose best ally, in the end, deciding to share her family history and thoughts about aliens in later conversations. And never once did Shepard treat her with disrespect, instead reminding her that the aliens on their team were after the same thing: to get Saren and save the galaxy. The two would build a sisterly bond, something that Ashley never had suspected when she first met Shepard, and they'd be each others' confidants.

Yeah, it was nice to be on the deadliest solider in the galaxy's good side.

* * *

**Wrex: **

"Like I said to the human over there, fighting with women gives a different flavor to battle."

He said this to her right when Shepard came out of the elevator, the woman stopping to listen to him speak. She looked as if she had been ready to go talk to the turian, but instead to turned on her heel and approached him. Wrex took her in, noticing how one hand was constantly on her blade, never once leaving it. He liked that about her, always ready for an attack, always prepared for anything to happen. Though, he did think it was pretty stupid she depended so much on those blades rather than the shotgun she toted around on missions.

"The women in my species have to stay at home and breed," Wrex added once Shepard stood before him, peering up at him with those brown eyes.

"Because of the genophage, right?" The way she asked, it sounded like she knew next to nothing about the curse laid upon the krogan. It did sound like she knew it was a sensitive subject and that was probably why she never pried, unlike the other people on this ship. The turian had questioned him about what it was like to kill his own people and a few others had told that he was not what they expected a krogan to be like. That was probably because he wasn't like most krogan. His red eyes roved over Shepard. Never once did she comment on the genophage or the nature of the krogan, and he appreciated that.

"You can thank the turians and salarians for that," he answered bitterly.

"What are the women of your species like?"

After a long pause, there was only one word that truly described them. "Bossy."

"That's it? Just bossy?"

"And short-tempered."

Shepard hissed. "Sounds like my N3 instructor."

They stood in silence, Wrex leaning back against the wall and Shepard scuffing the toe of her boot against the floor. He sometimes couldn't believe that the woman in front of him was leading this entire mission, that she managed to survive the events of Akuze and the harsh streets of her planet, that she graduated from what he was told to be the toughest program in the Alliance, the N7 program. She was tiny compared to the other human woman, nothing but a mere pyjak. When they first met, he towered over Shepard as they talked, forcing the woman to tilt her head back a bit in order to meet his gaze. How this woman managed to survive for as long as she did, he had no idea.

"How come you never ask me about the genophage?" he finally asked her, crossing his arms.

She shrugged. "Figured you didn't want to. I know what the genophage did to your people and I suspected it would be hard to talk about." Shepard looked up at him. "But if you want my opinion on it, I think what the turians and salarians did to your people was wrong." With a shake of her head, she added, "Truly unethical. They should've known that there are better ways to win a war."

"My species isn't exactly the most diplomatic. We all love a good fight."

"But the krogan aren't stupid," Shepard put in. "If they knew that the turians were wanting to unleash that weapon against your species, I would believe they'd stop fighting immediately. Nobody wants to see their entire species go extinct."

He gave a harsh laugh. "Too bad they didn't encounter humans earlier. Maybe one of you could've told that to those idiot turians."

So she thought the genophage was unethical, huh? _And _she thought the krogan weren't stupid? That was a mistake on her part. A lot of the males in his species were thick-headed, thinking with their fighting instinct rather than their brains. He wasn't like most male krogan. Wrex had always kept his head level, his temper in check, and almost never entered a battle unless he knew every weakness his enemy had and if he had the proper equipment to defeat his target. His brothers, though, they'd throw themselves into a fight with only their fists if they had to, just to get that adrenaline rush.

Shepard had no idea what he was about to do.

Wrex grabbed her by her collar, throwing her up against the wall. He wanted to know how good her reflexes were, if she knew how to take down a krogan if she needed to. Their scuffle caught the attention of the Gunnery Chief and the turian, both approaching the pinned human and the krogan slowly, gripping their handguns firmly. Wrex bore his eyes in Shepard's, pressing his forearm into her throat just a little more. That's when he felt something prick the hide just below his frontal plate and he cut his eyes upward. The tip of her blade was positioned in a way that would easily peel the plate clean off if she decided to wedge her blade under. Her other knife was placed next to his jugular vein, the jagged edge barely grazing his hide.

"N3 taught me how to take down your kind, Wrex," the Commander said.

He felt the presence of the turian at his flank and the other human woman was in his peripheral. Wrex looked back at Shepard and slowly let her down, stepping back with a loud laugh. He was impressed. Never once did she flinch and her heart never sped up. His sudden assault didn't even seem to faze her it seemed. It took a lot to impress him.

"Just wanted to see if you had a quad, human. You proved to me you do!" He let out another laugh. Turning to look at the turian, he nodded towards the Commander and said to him, "You could learn from this pyjak, turian. She's more of a man than you'll ever be!"

Shepard dismissed the other woman and turian, staring directly at Wrex. "Thanks for basically calling me a man. I've never felt so good." Her voice dripped with sarcasm and the sound only made him grin.

"Relax, Shepard. I wasn't going to hurt you. If I'd wanted to, you'd already be dead!"

"So the significance of what you just did was...?"

"Just wanted to know how good you really are. Knowing a krogan's one weakness is pretty impressive."

Wrex took back his spot against the wall, Shepard moving away from him to give him some room.

"One more thing, human." Shepard gave him her full attention once more. "Why do you use knives?"

He watched the right corner of her lips curve upward, eyes narrowing slightly. "Because I want to make sure my enemies are dead." With that, she turned on her heel, and left to go talk to the turian.

Yep, she was pretty good for a woman.

* * *

**Garrus:**

So, the Commander that everyone had been whispering about was none other than Shepard, huh?

He remembered the first time they met, accidentally running into each other when he was on a coffee run for his boss and she had her nose buried into one of the many Citadel food guides. Neither paying any attention to their surroundings, but in the end, their accident paid off. They both became each others' best friends and confidants. He already knew her on a personal level, knowing how laid-back she was about most issues, how much she loved her vintage movies, and how nothing seemed to faze her. He also knew her fears, her goals, her everything.

But there was one thing he hadn't ever seen her do: he had never seen her fight.

Shepard had always been the diplomatic sort. Whenever she got herself into trouble (and there had been quite a few times), she always managed to talk her way out. She had often talked about her N7 training during the three months she would stay with him and his roommate between each course, and he knew N7 taught them on how to negotiate properly, how to read the enemies' body language, and the temperament of other species and how to calm them down. Never once had he seen her fight physically until the Dr. Michel rescue and there was only one word to describe it: terrifying.

The moment he shot Dr. Michel's captor in the head, it triggered Shepard and her squad of two - a brutish, scarred krogan and a pretty boy Alliance solider - and he watched her take down one merc with a knife to the head, use his body as a shield, and approach the others to where she could safely use her blades. Her two squadmates were just as skilled, especially the krogan as Garrus watched him shoot a merc straight in the face with his shotgun. The battle didn't even last that long while he tended to Dr. Michel's wounds since her captor thought it was okay to bruise her neck while he held onto her.

"Shepard," Garrus greeted, taking her hand in his when she approached him and the doctor.

"Vakarian," she greeted back. "Nice shot back there, by the way."

"Knives, Shepard? Always saw you taking care of those things, but I never figured you actually _used _them. Reckless..."

"I'm not reckless just because I prefer close combat! It just shows I'm not a pansy like some certain snipers in this room." He rammed the side of his body into hers, causing the Commander to stumble a bit when he held out a hand to help Dr. Michel up. The red-headed doctor took it, giving him a grateful smile before she wrapped her arms around him and muttered a quick, accented thank you that his translator almost didn't pick up. He patted the woman awkwardly on the back before gently pushing her away, taking a step back. He shot a glare towards Shepard when he heard her snicker, shielding her mouth with the back of her hand.

Interrogating Dr. Michel was quick, Shepard doing most of the talking. Before they went on their way, Michel hugged the Commander as well, though the woman handled it a lot better than he did. Once they were outside the Med Clinic, Garrus grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around, locking his eyes with hers.

"Shepard, I know this is your show, but I want to bring Saren down as much as you do. I'm coming with you." He turned his back on the krogan and Alliance soldier, blocking them from Shepard as he spoke in a quieter voice. "I couldn't find the proof I needed in my investigation, but I knew what was really going on. Saren is a traitor to the Council and a disgrace to my people.

"I'm coming with you, Shepard, no matter what you say."

The brown-eyed woman scrunched up her nose. "It'll be weird, though. Being your commanding officer and all. Are you sure you'd be okay taking orders from me?"

He slid his hands onto her shoulders, squeezing them. "Shepard, I've wanted to take down Saren the moment I knew he was dirty. At this moment, I don't care _who _my commanding officer is, but I'd prefer it to be you." He drew away from her, adding, "Plus, you're a Spectre now. It'd make this mission a hell of a lot easier since you don't have all that damn red tape."

She diverted her eyes away from him, bringing her hand up to rub her neck. "What?" he asked.

"Sorry about that, becoming a Spectre. I knew you've wanted to be one for awhile and I just... I feel like I took that away from you."

He laughed. "That's it? When I heard about your induction, the first thing I thought was how we could be Spectre partners in the future when I _do _become one." His mandibles splayed out in a grin, which Shepard caught and gave him a small smile of her own. She shook her head, breathing out a laugh, and looked around the turian. "Kaidan, you can head back to the Normandy. I'm bringing Garrus with me. Wrex, too. We have a quarian to save."

The Alliance solider gave her a small salute. "Aye, aye, ma'am." And he went on his way, leaving the three of them alone.

"Great, a turian," the krogan huffed. "What's next, a salarian?"

"Only if one has information on Saren and decides to force himself under my command." She shot a look towards Garrus before asking him again, "Are you sure, Garrus? Like I said, it'll be weird being your commanding officer and giving you orders. And I remember you constantly going against your ranking officers. I'm not going to have problems with you, am I?"

"No, Commander, you won't."

She made a disgusted sound. "Don't call me 'Commander.' I hate it already."

Despite that, they managed to take Fist down, collect data for a reporter named Emily Wong, save the quarian known as Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, presented the evidence against Saren to the Council, _and _settle a dispute between a preaching hanar and an irritated turian C-Sec officer. If they could get all that done in one day, Garrus had to wonder how much they'd get done in the future. And Shepard showed that she was capable of getting _a lot _done without ever getting stressed. He knew he was going to enjoy serving under her command and sometimes he forgot she was even his commanding officer with the way she acted between missions, only to be reminded when she ordered one of them to meet in the CIC at a designated time.

He wouldn't ask for anyone else to be his commanding officer.

* * *

**Tali: **

She was finding it hard to sleep. The ship ran so quiet, but it wasn't a nice quiet. It was more of an eerie silence that made her think something was going wrong in the ship, but Adams and the other engineers would always reassure her that there weren't any issues. For some reason, she never really believed them, too used to the Flotilla's clinging and clanging to think that silence was a good thing.

Tali sat in the mess hall, listening to the dead silence surrounding her. Everyone was else was asleep either in the Crew Quarters or Shuttle Bay (Wrex didn't like being around the humans since he made them uneasy and Garrus...well, he loved the Mako too much to tear himself away from it), and Shepard was in her personal quarters to Tali's left. She hoped the Commander wouldn't wake up and find her out here because even thought she wouldn't admit it to anyone, the woman made Tali nervous. A chill ran down the ladder of her spine as she thought back to her first meeting with the Commander. Keelah...the woman had introduced herself by throwing a blade straight into the head of the turian that was sent to kill Tali, throwing another into the throat of a merc while Garrus and Wrex disposed of the other thugs.

Commander Shepard was intimidating, for lack of a better word.

The way she handled those knives was like nothing she had ever seen before. Shepard moved with a grace that was both frightening and beautiful to look at, never once missing a beat. Tali's hand slid down to her boot, the empty sheath she thought would be home to a combat knife before she left on her Pilgrimage. Her father had hinted at giving her a knife before her departure, but he had changed his mind at the last second, deciding that she wasn't ready for a weapon that could easily slice through her suit if mishandled. Tali gave a small sigh, folding her hands back onto her lap, legs crossed on the chair.

That's when the door to Shepard's room gave a hiss and the one woman Tali didn't want to see came through. Tali froze when the Commander walked to the small kitchen area, oblivious to the fact that their newest member was watching her raid the fridge. Was it okay for her to do that? Quarians would have been punished harshly if they were found taking food that they didn't need. Food shortages were a danger to her people and each quarian was given only a certain amount at each meal. She could remember her father giving her some of his so she would grow bigger and stronger faster, or at least that's what he would always say.

"Think fast!"

Tali blinked and let out a yelp when she saw a dextro-ration bar hurtling towards her. She managed to smack it away, watching as the bar fell on the table and spiraled over the edge. Shepard gave a laugh as she walked over, scooping up the ration bar, and tossing it to a now alert quarian. The human woman plopped down in a chair opposite of Tali, cracking open a bottle of a fizzy substance, and took a long drink, sighing happily at the end.

"So," she said while leaning back, "how's our newest member? Can't sleep?"

"The _Normandy _runs so quiet. Noise in the Flotilla always told us that things were working, but the moment something went quiet…" Tali didn't need to finish for Shepard to understand. "Sorry, I'm just a bit homesick. It won't affect the mission, though."

"Tali, you don't have to apologize for being homesick. I bet everyone on this ship has been homesick some time or another."

"Have you? You always seem so...comfortable here," Tali said. She noticed the slight twitch in Shepard's smile, but it quickly went away.

"Of course." And that was all she said. Tali had to wonder why she kept that answer so short.

The silence was heavy between them, or at least it was for Tali. She felt uneasy being with the Commander, especially now that she knew she brought up a sore subject with the woman. Did she have a bad home life and that was why she didn't miss home? Tali's father had always been kind, even after her mother died, and he never once raised his voice to her. She couldn't even imagine the headstrong Commander in front of her being abused by her parents, defenseless and weak.

"What exactly do quarians look like under that mask?" Shepard asked, propping her head up in her hand.

"What do you _think _we look like?" Tali asked right back.

"I'm not sure. That's why I asked."

"Then you'll never know." The look her Commander gave made Tali giggle, the sound so foreign to her that she immediately stopped and brushed the edge of her mask with her fingertips. She'd only laughed like that with her friends, never with a commanding officer, and it'd been a long time since she _did _laugh.

Shepard gave her that lopsided smile, which Tali was beginning to think was signature to the Commander.

"Spoken like a true smart-ass. Heh. Do you know what movie that's from?" When Tali shook her head, Shepard answered, "Steel Magnolias. Great movie." Commander Shepard looked as though she was going to get up, but she froze in her seat for a moment, her face showing thoughtfulness. After careful consideration, Shepard tapped the table twice while standing. "Wait here while I go get you something. I've been meaning to give it to you for awhile."

It took only a minute for the Commander to disappear into her room and come back with a cloth in her hands. She held it out for Tali to take, and when the quarian had it in her own hands and peeled the cloth back, a beautiful combat knife laid before her. The grip was a metallic bronze color, duller than Shepard's knives' fiery red but still eye-capturing in its own way. The blade was smooth and curved, polished to the point Tali could see her reflection. She wanted to run her fingers along the blade, feel the curve, but when she made a move to, Shepard threw up a hand and the quarian froze.

"No! Don't do that! I sharpened it earlier for you and it'll slice right through your fingers!"

Tali set the knife down, folding her hands in her lap. Shepard saw how the quarian's head hung a little and she set a hand on the girl's shoulder, giving her a smile when Tali looked up. "Wrex told me about the shotgun techniques he's been teaching you and I've noticed a difference in your fighting style. I also noticed that that sheath on your boot's empty, and I _hate _seeing an empty sheath. Makes me kind of sad on the inside, you know? So, I decided to give you that – my third knife ever. You've improved, Tali, and you've earned it.

"Get some sleep, Tali. The _Normandy's _running fine, so there's nothing to worry about. The last time I checked, there are a couple beds free in the Crew Quarters." Shepard stepped back. "We're going to get Dr. T'Soni tomorrow and I was planning on taking you, so get some rest."

"Is that an order, Commander?" Tali asked cheekily.

"Yes. Now go, and I don't want to see you when I come out here again. And _don't _go hiding somewhere else. I've got eyes everywhere." With that, Shepard turned on her heel and headed for her room, the door hissing to a close.

Tali stared at the door for a moment before turning her attention to her new combat knife. Shepard had noticed an improvement? She couldn't ignore the swell of pride she felt when Shepard told her that. Tali ran her thumb alongside the flat side of the blade, minding the sharp edge. Her father had thought she wasn't ready for such a weapon, even after showing him that she _was _capable, but Shepard… Maybe the Commander wasn't as intimidating as she thought.

"Thank you…Shepard."

* * *

**Liara:**

The moment Shepard caught her after the energy field suspending her fell, Liara felt nothing but a sense of safety in the arms of the Commander. It wasn't until she got back on the Normandy and Shepard left after she escorted Liara to the med-bay that she felt that sense of security disappear. And it wasn't until Shepard came back that Liara felt it once more.

The door to her quarters opened with a hiss, and Liara turned her head to see Shepard approaching her. The asari's heart fluttered for a second when the woman offered a tilted smile, but it quickly died down when Shepard started speaking, "How are you feeling? You looked like you were about to pass out earlier." Shepard lifted herself onto the desk, shoulders slumped forward and her hands folded in her lap.

"Yes, I am doing much better. I just needed a little rest. Your doctor is very knowledgeable in asari physiology."

"She's one of the best, that's for sure." This time, Shepard adorned a concerned expression. "Are you sure you're okay? Do you need anything?"

"I am fine, Shepard, but thank you for the concern. You do not have to worry about me."

Just being in the Commander's presence put Liara at ease. The woman had a calm, laid-back attitude to her, an unerring confidence that was balanced by humbleness, and her smile was contagious. And they talked for awhile; about anything, really. Liara talked about her expeditions in the Prothean ruins, explaining her findings and all the research and studies that came with it. She talked about asari culture, how having two asari parents was considered taboo among her people and how asari could mate with any species, any gender. Shepard was a listener rather than a talker, whereas Liara was the opposite. The human woman would ask questions here and there and Liara would answer them with a muted enthusiasm.

When a silence fell upon them, Shepard clapped her hands together, rubbing them. "Well, I should go and check on the other crew. I need to go tell Tali that she handled that knife really well-" She gave a flat expression. "-and tell Garrus that he needs to start taking cover more often. If he gets shot, I'll punch him."

"Wait!" Liara called out softly, bounding from her chair so she could catch the back of Shepard's shirt with her fingers. When Shepard stopped to turn halfway to look at the asari, Liara immediately let go, curling her hand to her chest. "I-I am sorry! I just..." She refused to meet Shepard's brown eyes with her blue ones.

"Liara?"

"I just feel safer with you around. I don't know why, but I...I just do. I'm sorry, Commander."

Shepard was quiet for moment, the asari before her looking anxious. Then she said, "I'm sure I can spare a few more minutes."

That response made her very happy.


End file.
